[VHFcontesting] The Psychology of Contest Participation

[Shupienis, Joseph]

"I read your posting with intense interest...from the perspective of 'why do people participate in Amateur radio events'.  Succinctly, it is for two reasons: (A) Because it's fun and (B) there is a reward." - W2EV

...

Way back when I was studying to become a teacher, I learned a lot in the required psychology classes. Of particular interest to me was "Maslow's Heirarchy" from his 1943 work, "A Theory of Human Motivation."

In a nutshell, we are motivated to meet our more basic needs before moving to the more advanced needs. First and foremost are SURVIVAL needs -- food, clothing, etc. Once these are met, we move up the pyramid to SECURITY needs -- safety, health, income, insurance, etc.

ONLY after these are ensured are we able to proceed to the next level.

Here is where our hobby comes in. The next level is SOCIAL needs, such as family, friends, and peers. We all need to be wanted and accepted. When these needs are not met, people will naturally do whatever they find necessary to achieve them. This is why kids who don't have a strong sense of family join street gangs. Acceptance. This is why we form clubs and associations. This is why we participate in operating activities.

Only after we feel we "belong", do we move on to the fourth level, ESTEEM needs. We need to know that our peers hold us in esteem as a result of our efforts. That's why we like to win contests and get pieces of paper. We need some proof that we have "climbed the ladder". There is nothing wrong with that need -- we are wired that way. Only after we have achieved justified recognition are we able to move on to SELF-esteem. I'm talking about healthy feelings of self-worth, backed up by proof. (Unless other people agree we are deservedly worthwhile, anything we tell ourselves is a probably a lie and leads to "egotism." This is where "peer pressure" can be positively used to keep us all honest, and to deflate an unhealthy ego by knocking it down a peg.)

After all of this, and ONLY AFTER, can we reach the pinnacle of Maslow's pyramid: SELF-ACTUALIZATION, a fancy term for being comfortable in our own skin. The needs we have at this level are primarily leadership needs. Those who reach this level are comfortably able to mentor others, to solve problems, to create growth opportunities for others, to promote fairness, to judge fairly and honestly, and to lead with kindness and wisdom.

...

What does all this have do with grid-circling rovers? Plenty. It's not hard to perceive that they unfairly "rob" the rest of us "traditional" rovers of the opportunity to meet our ESTEEM needs, no matter how hard we work. This is VERY DISCOURAGING, as subconsciously we perceive it as other people "CHEATING" us by taking a "SHORTCUT" to a goal that we have worked very hard for a long time to acheive.

It demoralizes us.

This legitimate issue can only be settled by those few at the peak of Maslow's pyramid -- the self-actualized leaders. In our case it is the VUCC and the contest sponsors. They are in the leadership position, and hopefully they have climbed the pyramid honestly and with integrity.

If that is the case (as I am sure it is), they will understand that the recognition and reward of hard work and individual effort is important, and worthy of protection and official support. The rules, as they stand, are broken. They allow a crafty few to get rewards for little effort (except for spending money, and for road rallying), while others who put forth considerable effort to "work as many stations in as many grid squares as possible" are effectively shut out from achieving any well-deserved recognition for their efforts and sacrifices.


The only way to fix it is to explicitly prohibit grid-circling in limited rover and "classic" rover categories.


If allowed to continue, the traditional rovers will naturally find another way to achieve their esteem needs. In my case, I've been welcomed with open arms as an operator at a world-class multi-op station (W3SO). I am honored, and have done my best to keep up the rate and to help out however I can.

That fulfills some of my esteem and self-actualization needs. I still prefer to rove and still yearn to explore and operate from exotic mountaintops, and still have antennas to design and experiment with, but those self-actualizing goals will have to wait until I can put forth an honest effort on a level playing field.


THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT IS TO EXPLICITLY PROHIBIT GRID-CIRCLING IN LIMITED ROVER AND "CLASSIC" ROVER CATEGORIES.

73 de Joe, W3BC